Razor-blade-sharpening machine.



W. P. SWEET. RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1911.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ll. illl ull W. P. SWEET.

RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING MACHINE.

Inventor WeZcomeFSweet,

2 SBJSETS-SHEET 2v Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1911.

Ajtorngz. I

srarne acrnnr WELCOME IF. SWEET, OF ST. LGUIS, MISSOURI, .ASSIGNOR TO THE IVIETAEzL NOVELTY.

COMPANY, OF ST. LQUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

RAZOR-BLADE$HARPENING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented it}, 11914:.

Application filed November 20, 1911. Serial No. 661,405.

To all whom it may concern .Be it known that I, ll 'nnootrn 1*. SWEET, a citizen of the United @tates, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain .new and useful improvement in Razor Blade-Sharpening lvlachines or which the followlng 1s a full. clear, and exact descrip- .tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use i the same, reference being had to the accotn panying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a razor blade sharpening machine of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a plan view of a gear box that is positioned on the under side of the central portion of the machine and which gear box contains the (rain which controls the stropping belt reversing mechanism. v Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the center of the gear box seen in Fig. 3 and also showing a part'oi the bed plate of the machine. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of my iniprove fl machine. (3 is an enlarged detailed section taken a )proximately on line 6--6 of Fig. 1 and illliistrating one of the detachable safety razor blade holders utilized in connection with my iin proved machine. Fin". 7 is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line T'? of 6. Fig. 8 is a cross section taken approximately on the line S ll oi Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a holder particularly de signed for holding ordinary razor blade. while the same are being honed or stro tiped. Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken approximately on the line 10-10 of Fig.

This invention relates to a machine for sharpening razor blades and the principal object of my invention to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive machine, which is adapted to receive and sharpen by honing and stropping all forms of razor blades.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a'machine which will simultaneously hone and strop a number of razor blades, to equip a razor stropping machine with a hone Which can be used for sharpening razor blades which are exceedingly dull, to provide a machine with an endless strop which operatesorer pair of pulleys, to

provide means for automatically reversing the movement of the endless strop and at the same time to shiftthe blaa e holders so as to alternately the side or the blades into contact with the strep, and to rnrovidc simple blade holders which can be readily positioned upon or removed from the machine.

' With the above objects in view my inventlon CODSlaES in cer ain novel features of corn struction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Referring by n merals to the accompany mg drawings. l designates the bed plate of the machine which is supported on suitable legs, or a frame work 2, and formed on or fixed to this bed plate adjacent one end is a pair of staru'lards 3, provided at their upper ends with bearings 4.- which, receive the trun-, nions of a roller 5.

Arranged for sliding movement between a pair of ribs 6 on the opposite end of the rna chine is a plate provic .d with a pair of up-- rights '7. and formed in the upper ends of this upright are bcarii S which receive the trunnions of a roller 5). in. diameter of this roller equals that of the roller 5 and formed on or fixed to the ends of this roller are grooved pulleys 10. n

The plate carrying the standards 7 is moved liwaclnvard and, liawrard by means of a screw rod 11, thereby varying the distance between the rollers 5 and and thus said screw rod, performs the function of a belt tightenor for the belt or endless strop 12 which operates on the rollers 5 and J. This endless strop is preferably made of leather suitable for stropping razor blades, or, it dcsired, it may be made up of two or more layers of flexible nnitcrial with a leather facing ,on one side and fabric facing on the other. The inner face of this strop is used for finishing the razor bladcs and said in ner face is maintained in a perfectly smooth condition by reason of its constant operation over the smooth hard surfaces of the rollers 5 and 9.

The outer face of the endless strop is used in tl 2-iirst stroppino; operations and this outer face can be treated with a suitable niatcrial which is particularly adapted for sharpening;- blades during the stropping operations.

Formed on or fixed to the under side of the ple s 1; immediately below the standards 3 a air of depending ears 13, in which is to slide lengthwise on the under side of the and around the pulley 18.

plate 1 below the plate carrying the uprights 7 and these brackets are moved backwardly and forwardly by screw rods 22. Journaled in the lower portion of these brackets is a shaft 23 and loosely mounted thereon are grooved-pulleys 2d which occupy the same vertical planes with the corresponding grooved pulleys 10, 18 and 20.

Loosely mounted on a shafton the under side of the plate 1 in front or" the bracket 21 is a pair of grooved pulleys 26 which are in alinement with the pulleys 24.

27 designates a belt whichpasses around the grooved pulley 20, beneath the corresponding pulley 2 1, thence upward through a suitable opening formed in the plate 1 over the corresponding rooved pulley 10, thence downward throug an opening suitably formed in the plate 1, thence beneath the corresponding pulley 26 and from thence to and 'over the pulley 20. A

corresponding belt 28 extends over the top of the grooved pulley- 18, downward beneath the corresponding pulley 24, thence upward over the corresponding pulley 10 thence downward beneath tie corresponding one of the pulleys 26 and from thence to the under side of A It will be noted that this belt 28 crosses between the pulleys 24: and 26 and the pulley 18, and thus the movement imparted to the roller by said belt 28 is reverse to the increment imparted by the belt 27.

The belt 16 is alterna' lv sni' rbed from the verse, and as a result the rotary motion iniparted to the roller 9 is reversed at regular intervals and consequently the motion of the endless strep is correspondingly reversed.

Removably positioned on the under side of the central portion of the plate 1 a box or housing 29 and journaled in the bottom thereof is the lower end of a shaft 30 which 33- carried by a shaft 3 1;, which latter is journaled in suitable bearings formed in the wall of the box 29, and fixed on the outer in its top sur;

projects through an opening suitabl ed in the side walls of e ho and nd of said arm is pr e a ing pin 16 which extend "'r the 12: groove in th a '1 d6 of this bell cran i I eath the plate 1 and is pivotally connected to a longitudinally .ino'ving rod 47 which is for the purpose of shifting positions of the blade 12 holders as hereinafter more fully described A third arm 46 ects outwardlv beneath the end or. the plate 1 is for the purpose 1 of imparting niovenieiit to a series of his de holders which are adapted to maintain the asse ses ooved pulley 35;

it 1% in ahnea grooyed pulley alleys and 36 is The mechanism nescribel provide m for imparting "a from the diiv 30, Fixed on wheel 32 is formed a-recec. diately over the on the shait 30 1S .51

The lower edge on a suitable the hon 29 and torn f disk is 'a horizonta in whic is arranged 40 point of whic the ecess 38 posi thereof the ewithdrai v the po recess The means utilized of the pin 40* into dish 39 to the dish 38 coinpi operat' g -hrough the side l 29 and which pin is carried hy the end of a horiZ-rintaliy dis Wed arm located upon the pin 11 between the l and th end of'this arni i" a compression 1 and is provn e pin which is. one of a pair of a top of the plate 1.

The

means force the pin 15 ositi in p, l: 11 L116 iilll jl 51(Li4 ()1 cent the is a hell crank lever pro nod with arm 6 Which it eater razor blades upon a reciprocating hone lo cated at the end of the machine sud hereinafter more fully described,

Located to one side of the stropping and projecting upwardly from the plate 1 is a frame 48 and progecting horizontall therefrom in a plane just above the top surface of the upper half of the endless trop 12 is a series of tubular bearings 48. A corre sponding row of hearings extend inwardly from a rail 48 imniediateiy above the top or inner surface of the lower half of the flexible strep 12. Arranged for rotation in the bearings 48 is a series of tubular sockets 49, each provided on its outer endwith a crank arm 49 and projecting outwardly from the outer end of each oi these arms is a pin 49". A corresponding series of tubular sockets are in the hearings formed on the bar 18" and this second set of sockets are pro vided on. their outer ends with crank arms 49, the same carrying pins 4-9.

As hereinbefore stzuied the outer end of the arm 46 of the hell crank 46 pivotally connected to a longitudinally disposed rod 47 which slides lengthwise in hearings at? on the under side of the plate 1 and projecting upwardly from the ends of this red through suitable openings formed in the plate 1 are uprights :30 which are positioned adjacent the frame 48. Formed on or fixed to the upper portions of these uprights 50 are short rack bars 56 which project inwardly toward one another a corresponding pair of rack bars extend inwardly from the uprights in approximately the same plane with the rail Pinions 51 are ournaled on the outsi ie of the frame 48 at the upper corners thereof and these pinious mesh with the t1: rack bars 50.

Fixed to the outer faces of ese pinion; are crank arms 51 and ournaleo upon 51 carried by said crank tudinally disposed liar fil 1 notched as designated by 5i to c pins 49" on the crank arms l coil springs 52 are connected k and to the bar 51", and thus said pins a yieldingly held in ii if Pinions 2'53- are :urnaied the frame it at the ends of carried by said p ions are short crank arms 53*, the outer ends of which are with pins 53" which are journaleo in the ends of a longitudinally extending oar 5 3". The upperedge of this bar is notched to ceive the pins 49 on the cranks i i)" and tractile springs 53 are connected to the pins 49 for the purpose of yieldingly holding the same in their respective notches.

The device used for engaging the razor blades while they are in the machine consists of a bar 54- approximately semi-circular in cross section and formed integral Heir with one end I v of this her is a stem 54 which 18 adapted to he inserted in the tubular sockets which are mounted in the hearings 48 and the he rings on the bar 48 The end oi tubular socket is notched as designated by 5 t to receive a corresponding lug or shoulder on the end of the bar 54 and thus said her or pin will rotate or rock with the tubular socket Hinged to the inner end of each bar 54s is a olate 55 which is semicircular in cross section and fixed in any suitable manner to the bars 54 and 55 are spring fingers 55* arranged in pairs and adapted to engage and clamp the razor blades to he sharpened. The free end oi. the bar 55 is clamped to the corresponding end of the bar li by a tubular keeper b which uted for rotation on the end of the bar 1 l oortion of said tubular keeper is out designated by 55" so as to permit the free end oi the bar 55 to swingopen when it is desired to insert or remove the razor blades.

For the purpose of honing the razor blades on a stone before they are stropped on the flexible member 12, I utilize a hone 56 which is positioned in a holder 56 and depending from the under side of this holder is a pair of pins 56", the lower ends of which are journaled in disks 56, one of which is provided in its periphery with a groove to receive a belt 5-6 iich is connected to and driven by the pulley 3 The disks 56 are supported on vertically disposed shafts 57, the lower ends of which are journaled in a plate 5?.

Extending from one end of the plate 1 and on the shafts 5? are small grooved pulleys 67' around which passes a belt 57 Located on this end of the table is an up right fra o 58 provided with a scri s of tu- Y i nes in which urnolcd ovided wi fame 59" fin arm 50 pi central portion or the hell crank lo and seated in the outer end of this arm is 1 pair oi "us tit r c sititmed on each side The ho 1 for razor blades which are provided with indies, as shown in Fil 9, coni-- prises a rod 61 ha *inga pin on one end which pin is adapted to engage in the tuluv lar sockets and fixed to this rod is a spring clip which is adapted to receive and hold razor blades of the ordinary type Set screws 64 are seated in the rod 61 edjacent the ends of the clip for the purpose of adjusting the position of the razor blade With respect to the rod 61, and located on said rod adjacent its outer end is a spring clip 65 which is adapted to engage hold the razor handle.

The operation of my improved sharpening machine is as follows: The belt 16 is driven and normally travels upon the tight pulley l5 and as this pulley is operated the belt 37 operating on the pulleys 36 and imparts rotary movement to the shaft 34 carrying the worm 38 which meshes with the Worm Wheel 'Norinally the spring 43 holds the end oi the pin 41 away from the headed pin and the spring behind the last mentioned pin normally holds the point or" the same out of the recess 38 and therefore the disk 38 rotates with the shaft SO'independently of the disk 39. The blades to be sharpened are positioned betiv en the pairs of spring fingers and the pins 54? of the blade holders are inse ted in the tubular sockets mounted in the bearinr 's' lg and in the bearings on the rail &8. The; operator now engages the handle and manipulates the same so as to swing the end of the arm 42 inwardly, thereby forcing the pin 41 against the headed pin ee-O and when the disk 38 is rotated that the recess 38 is brought into alinement with the headed pin, the point thereof engages in said recess, thereby locking the disk 39 to the disk 38. The pin 4-5 on the handle 45 is nov engaged. in one of the recesses 15*, thus locking the parts in their shifted positions. As the disk 39 provided With a cam groove 39* rotates With the disk 38 and the pin 6 in the arm 46 of he bell crank traverses the cam groove, thereby rocking the bell crank 46, the pins on the end of the arm ($0 engage the belt 16 and alternately shift the same from the tight pulley 15 on t the loose rollers 17 and 19. The belts 27 and 28 operating on the grooved pulleys 18 and 20 are intermittently driven in'opposite or reverse directions, and as said belts p around the grooved pulleys on the ends 1'' the roller 9, said roller is intermittently driven in opposite directions, thereby imparting correspondingmovement to the flexible strep 12. In other Words; the various connections are arranged so that when the belt is running on the roller 17, the flexible strep is moving in one direction, and when the belt is shifted on to the roller 19, the flexible. strep is driven in the opposite r direction. During the short period of time required to effect the reverse movement of the flexible strep, the blade holders are all rocked so as to reverse the positions of the blades with respect to the flexible strop, which action is brought about by the swinging movement of the arm 46 of the bell crank which is imparted to the rod 4?. This rod is mounted for sliding movement in bearings 47* and the uprights 50 carried by said rod are moved short distance lengthwise and the racks 50 and 50 carried by said uprights impart partial rotary more 51 and 53 harried by the crank arms 51 shifted lengthwise which movement imparts a swinging movement to all of the crank arms 419 and 49, thereby partially rock ng all of the sockets s9 and consequently imparting partial rotary movement to the thereby are intermittently reversed upon the flexible strep, thereby bringing both sides ofjthe edges into engagement therewith. The coil springs 52 and 53 provide means whereby the edges of the blades are yieldingly held iii-engagement with the surfaces of the flexible strep. As hereinbefore stated, the outer face and surfaces of the flexible ,strop can be treated with a compound which is eiiective in producing sharp edges on the blac and for this reason the dull razor blades are positioned holders which applied to the top row of the tubular socksis and after the s have been sutliciently stropped by t er surface of the flexible strop, the his es in "heir holders are transferred to the l thus the edges of t the smooth iinishin flexible strep, waicl maintained in son of its travel on the har surfaces of the rollers 9 and 5. belt o driven from the grooved pulley l and the belt 57 imparts movement to the disks 56, and in turn the hone 56 which is mounted upon said disks is reciprocated The ends of the blade holders are inserted in the tubular sockets within the bearings 59 and the surfaces of the blades adjacent the edges are brought into contact with the surface of the hone. During the reciprocation of this hone, the blade holders are roclred reverse the po-- sitions of the blades by the arm 46 of the bell crank which is connected to the lower portion of the fr razor blade shar machine of my improved construe s comparatively simple, can be operated with little power, is adapted to sharpen all form of razor blades and the blade holders can be easily and quickly shifted from one side of the sockets to the other as required to thoroughly sharpen and finish the edges of the blades.

By providing a hone and utilizing the same in connection ith the, stropping means, the machine is adapted to sharpen razor blades which are exceedingly dull.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of finished on face of the ore stated, is ion by reament to the ninions 51 and 53 and the bars blade holders so that the blades carried and 53 are simultaneously elevated and lBU the. various parts of my improved razor blade sharpening machine can be made and substitued for those herein shown and described Withcut departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of Which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an endless flexible strop, of automatically operating means for moving said strop in o posite directions and reversible blade holders adapted to hold the edges of the bladesagainst the inner and outer surfaces of said strop.

'2. In a machine of the class described, the combination With an endless flexible strop, of reversible blade holders adapted to hold the edges of the blades against the inner and outer surfaces of said strop, and automatically operating driving means for intermittently moving the strop in reverse direction.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an endless flexible strop, of reversible spring-held blade holders adapted to maintain the edges of the blades against the inner andouter surfaces of said strop, and automatically operating means for reversing the positions of all of the blade holders.

l. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an endless flexible strop, of reversible blade holders adapted to hold the edges of the blades against the inner and outer surfaces of said strop, automatically operating driving means for intermittentlymoving the strop in reverse directions, and

automatically operating means for reversing the positions of all of the blade holders.

5. In a machine of the class described, an endless strop, automatically operating driving means for intermittently moving the strop inreverse directions, and means for holding a series of razor blades in contact with the surfaces of said strop.

6. In a machine of the class described, an endless strop, automatically operating driving means for intermittently moving said strop in oppositedirections, means for holding razor blades in contact with the surfaces of said stro ',.and automatically operating means for s ifting the positions of the blade holding means at the ends of the intermittent movements imparted to said strop.

7. In a machine of the class described, a

pair of rollers, an endless strop operating thereon, automatically operating driving means for intermittently imparting reverse rotary movement to the rollers and the strop operating thereon, means for holding a series of razor blades against the outer face of the flexible strop and means for holding a series of razor blades against the inner face of said flexible strop.

a correspondin 8. In a machine of the class described, a pair of rollers, an endless strop operating thereon, means for holding a series 'pf razor blades against the outer face of the flexible strop, means for holding a series bf razor blades against the inner face of said flexible strop, and automatically operating driving means for intermittently imparting reverse rotary movements to the rollers and strop carried thereby.

9. In a machine of the class described, a pair of rollers, an endless strop operating thereon, automatically operating driving means for intermittently rotating the rollers in reverse directions, means for holding a series of razor blades against, the outer face of the flexible strop, means for holding a series of razor blades against the inner face of said flexible strop, and automatically operating means for simultaneously reversing the positions of the blade holding means.

10. In a machine of the class described, a-

pair of rollers, an endless strop operating thereon, means for holding a series of razor blades against the outer face of the flexible strop, means for holding a series of razor blades against the inner face of said flexible strop, automatically operating driving means for intermittently imparting reverse rotary movements to the rollers and strop carried thereby, and automatically operating means for simultaneously reversing the position of the blade holding means.

11. In a machine of the class described, a pair'of rollers, a flexible strop operating on said rollers, automatically operating driving means for intermittently rotating one of the rollers in opposite directions, a row of reversibleblade holders arranged to the side of the under-running portion of the strop,

row of blade holders arranged to the side of the over-running portion of the strop, and automatically operating means for simultaneously reversing the positions of all of the blade holders.

12.. In a'machine of the class described,

the combination with an endless flexible strop, of automatically operating means for intermittently movin the strop in reverse directions, a series 0 reversible blade holders adapted to hold the edges of razor blades against the inner and outer surfaces of said strop, and automatically operating means actuated at the ends of the intermittent movements of the strop for reversing the positions of all of said blade holders.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence'of two witnesses, this 16th day of November, 1911.

WELCOME F. SWEET.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, Jnssnr CLARK. 

